Device for hanging christmas tree decorations

ABSTRACT

A device for hanging Christmas tree decorations is shown comprising a clamp which exhibits two spring prongs which cross one another and are moveable in the plane of their longitudinal axes, and in which each prong is bowed in the plane of its moveability in order to accommodate a Christmas tree branch.

United States Patent Mohr 1 Dec. 5, 1972 [s41 DEVICE FOR HANGING CHRISTMAS 282,183 mass Fletcher. ..'.24/261 0 TREE DECORATIONS 926,274 6/1909 Meneray. g [72.] Inventor: Bruno R. Mohr, 68 Mannheim, 1,542,706 6/1925 Lang ..24/73 CF 7/27 Germany Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel [22] Filed: Feb. 1, 1971 Assistant Examiner-Darrell Marquette [211 pp In 682 Attornay-Merchant8z Gould [57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data i A device for hanging Christmas tree decorations is Feb. 17, 1970 Germany ..P 20 07 164.1 Shown comprising a clamp which exhibits two p g prongs whichcross one another and are moveable in CCll. ..24/73 fl w m fl n x zvapg h 58] Fie'ld 139 237 prong is bowed in the plane of its moveability in order 2 4 5 61 v to accommodate a Christmas tree branch. [56] 1 References Cited 1 Claim 2 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,030,462 6/1912 Conant ..24/261C PAT-ENTEDUEB 51972 3,704,487

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MERCHANT & GOULD ATTO NEYS DEVICE FOR HANGING CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Description of the Prior Art Christmas tree ball ornaments or other objects hung on Christmas trees, such as candy, for example, are customarily attached to the branches of the tree by means of small hanging devices. A familiar device used for this purpose consists of a spring clamp, one prong of which is bent in such a way as to rest at two points on one side of the branch, while the head of the other prong reaches into the loop so-formed by the first prong. In the case of this familiar assembly, the clamp is opened by pressure applied to both prongs, thus moving them toward each other, whereby the pressure is applied low in the vicinity of the bridge section of the two prongs. As a result, adanger exists that the prongs will become bent and deformed at this point and hence will no longer close securely. Furthermore, it is difficult to operate this familiar clamp.

Also familiar is a clamp which is attached to the branch simply by pushing it onto the branch whereby the clamp is fixed to the branch only by the resistance created by friction, with the result that secure mounting of the appended ornament is not assured.

2. Summary of the Invention The invention answers to the task of designing a device for hanging Christmas tree ornaments which can be conveniently attached to a Christmas tree branch and which will remain dependable and functional even after frequent use in hanging ornaments. In the present invention the two prongs cross over each other in the same direction at two points, specifically on either side of the bow, and form on their open side an opening fork which is basically V-shaped. With this design a device for hanging ornaments is obtained which can be hung simply by pressing it onto the branch from which it is to be suspended, but which also affords a secure mounting and which, finally, will remain dependable and functional even with frequent use. According to another form of the invention it is also possible that the two prongs be rolled to fonn a spiral at the bridge section, and it is preferable that the ends of the prongs be blunt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of an initial form of the clamp, at rest; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a different form of the clamp just as it is being hung.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing, the two prongs which constitute the clamp are designated as 1 and 2. These merge to form a bridge section 3 and at 4, the free ends of the prongs describe a V-shape or fork-shaped open space. designates the object on which the clamp is placed, i.e., a Christmas tree branch.

The two prongs 1 and 2 can bemade of a steel wire. By the same token, they may also be manufactured from a plastic which exhibits the necessary elastic qualities. The prongs l and 2 which, byway of example, merge in a U-shaped fashion in the bridge section 3, each exhibit a bow (6 and 7) which is shaped to accommodat the size of su ortin ob'ect, e. a branch. FIG. 1 c early shows t t the wo prongs cross over one another in a first direction before bow 6 and 7, as viewed-in the direction of their longitudinal axis facing the open end, cross over in the opposite direction on the other side of the bows and then cross over once again in the first direction on the other side of the bow, and in this way form the fork-shaped open end 4. In the version shown in FIG. 2, the bridge section 3a is spiralshaped, i.e., the material from whichthe clamp is made is rolled into a spiral from which the two prongs 1a and 2a then project.

When the clamp as specified by the invention is pressed onto the supporting object 5 from below, the clamp opens as the two. prongs bend about .the'bridge I section, thus permitting the clamp with bows 6 and 7 to be placed on supporting object 5 where it remains securely and firmly, it being impossible for the two prongs to come open by themselves. Only when considerable force is applied to tug at the lower end of the clamp or when the prongs are manually spread apart, is it possible for the two prongs to open again, thus releasing branch 5.

In FIG. 1 the ends 'of the two prongs are represented as being simply bent back in order to appear blunt. However, it is also possible to bend the two prong ends back only slightly as indicated at 8 and 9 with the result that the prong ends are then even more blunt than in the version shown in FIG. 2. It is,'of course, also possible to make the prong ends thicker, especially if the clamp is made of plastic. These matters depend on the mode of manufacture and the design of the clamp in any particular instance.

What is claimed is:

. 1. In a device for hanging Christmas tree ornaments comprising a spring clamp having two side-by-side prongs connected by a generally U-shaped bridge section, the prongs each having a free end and being movable in the plane of their longitudinal axes, each prong having a bow formed therein in the plane of motion facing the other bow to accommodate a Christmas tree branch between the bows, the improvement comprising the two prongs being formed so as to cross each other on each side of the bows the first and second bow forming crossings being in a first direction between the bows and the bridge section and in a second opposite direction between the bows and the free ends, said prongs being formed to cross each other a third time a predetermined distance from said free ends, also in said first direction, with the free ends beyond said second bow forming crossing being straight and forming a generally V-shaped open fork at the third crossing into which a tree branch can be inserted to open the clamp by pressure against the V-shaped fork. 

1. In a device for hanging Christmas tree ornaments comprising a spring clamp having two side-by-side prongs connected by a generally U-shaped bridge section, the prongs each having a free end and being movable in the plane of their longitudinal axes, each prong having a bow formed therein in the plane of motion facing the other bow to accommodate a Christmas tree branch between the bows, the improvement comprising the two prongs being formed so as to cross each other on each side of the bows the first and second bow forming crossings being in a first direction between the bows and the bridge section and in a second opposite direction between the bows and the free ends, said prongs being formed to cross each other a third time a predetermined distance from said free ends, also in said first direction, with the free ends beyond said second bow forming crossing being straight and forming a generally V-shaped open fork at the third crossing into which a tree branch can be inserted to open the clamp by pressure against the V-shaped fork. 